Birmingham comes to a halt as murdered schoolgirl Christina Edkins is laid to rest

THE One Direction song One Thing was played as the teenager's coffin was carried into the city's St Philip's Cathedral.

The coffin carrying Christina Edkins is carried into St Phillips Cathedral in Birmingham

A CITY came to a standstill yesterday as murdered schoolgirl Christina Edkins was laid to rest.

Traffic in Birmingham was halted as the horse-drawn procession carrying her coffin arrived at the city’s cathedral.

Christina, 16, was stabbed to death by a stranger on her bus to school two weeks ago.

About
800 friends and family – wearing her favourite colour, purple – packed into St Philip’s Cathedral for the funeral. Hundreds more braved wintry conditions outside as the service was broadcast.

Her
white coffin was carried into the cathedral to the One Direction song One Thing, with her devastated parents, brother and sister following.

Mum and dad Kathleen and Jason wrote on a card next to her coffin: “Our beautiful princess Christina, we will always miss you and you will live in our hearts forever, mummy and daddy xxx.”

They
also penned a touching poem read out during the service, which included
the lines: “We love you more than anything, more than words can say, you meant the world to us, bringing happiness every day.

“A daughter and sister, always in our heart, you will stay with us forever, even though we have to part.

Daily Mirror

Sixteen-year-old Christina Edkins who was fatally stabbed in Birmingham

“A beautiful teenager, a princess through and through, even if you are not here, our thoughts will always be of you.”

Paying
tribute to Christina, her cousin Stephen Newby said: “We are devastated
that she should have been taken away so senselessly and continue to try
to come to terms with what has happened.

"We have been overwhelmed and comforted by the spontaneous reactions of so many people.

“While
many of them never knew Christina, all have been touched in some way by
this tragic event and share in our grief. We hope that justice will now
be done and that Christina can be allowed to rest peacefully.”

Christina’s school, Leasowes High School in Halesowen, closed for the day to allow pupils to attend the funeral.

Headteacher Neil Shaw broke down as he read out a moving tribute, saying: “If schools could choose their students they would be full of girls like Christina...charming, fun-loving, hard working and a friend to many.

“Her ambition to become a nurse showed above all by her caring nature.

“Christina will forever be remembered as a beacon of all that is good in young people.”

Phillip
Simelane, 22, from Walsall, has been charged with her murder. He has been remanded into the custody of a secure mental health unit.